


anonymous & short range

by fadedlikethelilac



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: (look at those three tags I swear half this fic planning was can I get them all in one fic), Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Secret Relationship, Transformers Plug and Play Sexual Interfacing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-21 20:04:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14921970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedlikethelilac/pseuds/fadedlikethelilac
Summary: Optimus fell in love with Megatron before the idea of an arranged marriage was raised. He never expected this relationship to be easy, but now it just seems so straight forward.For Shockwave, Falling in love while undercover as Longarm, it was never going to be anything close to simple.





	1. Forbidden love

**Author's Note:**

> I know I know, I'm posting another half written work. What am I supposed to do? I keep getting attacked by plot bunnies. 
> 
> Okay so Warnings, I've chosen not to use the archive warnings for this fic. For the most part this fic doesn't have any major warnings, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I will not be killing off any major characters, but at this point I have no idea if any minor characters are going to die... Maybe they're already dead, what does that even count as?
> 
> And consent in this fic might get a little messy in places. Especially for Blurr, (anyone reading shockblurr this probably doesn't come as a surprise) All of the interfacing will be Dubcon (due to uniformed consent) at worst, but the arranged marriage is straight up non con, the Mech in questioned was ordered to do it and did not want to. It will get better quickly, but it's still not okay. So consider yourself warned.

There was the ping of an incoming message, anonymous, and short range. Optimus ran a quick virus scan before opening it. He was pretty sure Either Ultra or Sentinel would kill him if he got a virus opening a message from an unknown source, especially since he couldn’t tell them why he trusted this unknown source.

The scan came back clean and he opened the message. Tonight, the usual place. He smiled. He’d met megatron several orns ago at one of the Magnus’s Balls. A decepticon delegation had been invited since after way too long in open war the two kingdoms were trying for peace. They still weren’t on good terms, but mecha were no longer dying on the front times.

He never knew how to feel about the anonymous messages. When at the end of the night, Megatron had kissed his hand and said he’d be in touch, optimus hadn’t known what he’d expected. An anonymous short range message, it had been mostly poetry, a letter, and no contact information. The messages had continued, once there had simply been a compressed file with only the message ‘I saw this and thought of you’. There could be no way to check to see if the file contained a virus, but he’d opened it anyway. It had been a book, a really good book. It had been way way too long since optimus had read fiction. The next message had asked if he’d liked it, Optimus had wanted to scream yes, but he still had been no way to contact Megatron. There had been no more books, but there had been a request to meet. 

Megatron’s carefully laid out play had been very well thought out. He’d given optimus four options: It would be easiest for him to enter Kaon, and on the first night Megatron would wait in a particular bar for him; if however he did want to meet but was unwilling to enter Kaon — which was perfectly acceptable — then megatron would wait for him on the second night just inside the border. 

The risk Megatron was prepared to take there, for him, the letters, the poems, the book. Optimus met him on the first night without a second thought. Okay there had been a second thought, and a third. There had been so much fear, but his position never wavered, he wanted to see megatron again more than anything. To thank him for the book. And the poems, he had no idea what to say about the poems.

But there had been two other options, The last, the most obvious do nothing and the messages stopped. Megatron would be disappointed, but he would understand if this wasn’t what optimus wanted. The third option, if optimus wanted the messages to continue but wasn’t really to meet, it was fine if he wasn’t ever going to be ready to meet, Megatron claimed he would keep sending messages as long as they were welcomed. He was to take his afternoon energon in a particular cafe, It wasn’t usual for him to do so, but it wouldn’t be strange. Megatron’s agent would see him and relay the response. 

And that was the problem right there. He’d known from the start. Megatron had an agent in Iacon. Someone had to be sending the short range messages. It made sense to send short range messages, they were much much harder to catch, and hence much safer. He should have done something the moment he’d realised, but he’d been too caught up in the messages. And then… How would he tell Ultra Magnus how he’d come to learn of the decepticon spy in their midst. Worst still, if the spy was caught if he betrayed Megatron’s trust, then the messages would stop.

Optimus slipped out of the palace just after dark, heading towards the border. He would be going alone into Kaon, but he wouldn’t be going deep into Kaon. Sometimes he played with the thought of what might happen if he were ‘caught’, the reality was nothing, Megatron would ensure he was released quickly and news of his capture would not even travel far. Not if the guards valued their lives. But sometimes he liked to imagine that Megatron wouldn’t let him go, that he’d be stuck in Kaon… With the mech he loved. 

Megatron would never do it, and to be honest Optimus shouldn’t want him to. Even now slipping past the border guards and into Kaon he was taking a risk. Then again, if megatron was going to pull something he probably would have done so one of the last dozen-or-so times. 

The bar was near empty when he entered, he recognised a few of the patrons, members of Megatron’s elite guard. He wasn’t sure if the bar was normally this empty or if megatron deliberately emptied it on nights like this. Was the owner compensated for the lack of business or was he threatened into submission. Autobot propaganda was firm about it being the later but now Optimus was getting to know Megatron he was less certain. He was still too shy to out right ask Megatron. 

Megatron pulled him between his legs pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Hello my little Prime.” 

Optimus felt a blush rising on his cheeks. “Don’t call me that.”

“What? Little? But you are little, positively tiny compared to the average decepticon.”

Optimus was quite for a moment, “No, Prime.”

The teasing tone faded from Megatron’s voice. “You’re not happy as a prime?”

Optimus looks down, uncertain. He hadn’t told anyone this, but then again if he couldn’t tell Megatron who could he tell? Megatron had told him so many things about himself — perhaps lies designed to gain his trust, but he had chosen to believe them. Megatron had gained his trust. “I thought I was.”

Megatron stroked over his finials, and optimus slid into his lap. He felt safe here. He didn’t have to worry about trying to please Ultra Magnus, or deal with Sentinel and keep up with the mountains of datawork. He was allowed to worry about the little things he shouldn’t care about. And most of all he was allowed to want things for himself. 

“You don’t want it any more?” megatron murmured. 

“I want to do what’s best for my people.” But his voice felt hollow he knew it was a lie. Well not exactly, he wanted that he really did, but sometimes, increasingly often he just wanted to stay here. Surrounded by the warmth of megatron’s larger frame. 

“Really?” Megatron pressed a kiss to his finial. “Then why do you dislike the title of Prime, are you angling for Magnus already?”

“No, I…” Optimus hid his face against Megatron’s chest so he wouldn’t have to face him. “If I wasn’t a prime then we wouldn’t have to sneak around so much. Primus, with the peace talks in progress and the fact that it’s you, I could probably just move to Kaon.” 

Megatron pulled back, surprize and delight surging through his field surrounding optimus. He titled optimus’s face up with a claw, meeting his optics. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes, no, I don’t know.” He pulled away. “I am a prime, I should not have desires like that, my first thought must be for the autobot people.”

Megatron chuckled. “That’s really bothering you isn’t it.”

Optimus thumped his chest lightly, the clang sounding through the room drawing the attention of several of the other patrons — it helped to think of them merely as patrons rather than guards who would act if megatron gave the order. He ignored them. “It’s not funny. It is really bothering me.”

“It’s not that it’s just…” Now it was megatron’s turn to pause, choosing his words with care. “You know about the latest proposal from the Magnus.”

“Yes, what about it?” Optimus wasn’t quite sure how to respond.

“I would like to request you as my replica, if you are okay with that.”

Optimus paused, now it was his field that swelled with surprised delight. When magnus had suggested a political marriage to cement the growing peace between their two nations he had not expected the marriage to be between Megatron and anyone, let alone himself. And even then, he really had not expected megatron to ask him first. 

“Yeah,” He managed “I really would like that.”


	2. Datawork

Message sent Longarm headed away from the Prime’s office. He would have liked to say he disapproved of his lord’s decision to see Optimus — if he ever disapproved of anything his lord did or wanted — but in truth he knew what it was like. 

He paused in the doorway to another office in the palace, this one belonged to one of the lesser nobles. 

Blurr looked up from his own work, smile spreading across his face. “Longarm, it’s good to see you. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get to see you again before you left. I thought you had a business trip?”

“Yes, but I don’t leave till tomorrow.” 

In barely a nanoklic Blurr was across the room, and practically throwing himself at longarm the mischievous joy in Blurr’s field surround him. “So can I stay over tonight? I can right, I mean if you don’t leave until the morning, we could spend the night sharing systems yeah?”

“I would like that, but I need to leave quite early in the morning, I wouldn’t want to disturb you.”

“Come on, it’s not like I really need to defrag every night anyway, I will just stay up and doing some datawork, while you defrag, come on it will be great.”

“And that’s why you always defrag longer than me. No blurr not tonight. I had intended to ask if you wanted to get lunch.”

Blurr paused, as though checking some internal data, a lot of internal data. “Just lunch?”

“Why? Have you got something else in mind.”

“Well I do have quite a lot of datawork to get though, I mean I am not even sure if I really have time to get energon with you and get it all finished by the end of the day. And well, your processor is so much faster than mine, well not faster, but you have more processing power, we’d get through this datawork in no time if you were to lend me your processor for a bit.”

Longarm ran his fingers across Blurr’s pauldron, even after all this time he still wasn’t quite used to having fingers instead of claws.They were useful though. “If you wanted to interface you only had to ask.”

“It’s not, I mean it’s just this datawork. It’s not like I just want to interface.”

Longarm smirked, pretending to be offended. “You mean you just want me for my processing capacity.”

“I… no… frag… Longarm,” Blurr stuttered, “Okay fine, yeah I really want to interface with you one more time before you leave, I mean I also want your help with the datawork. But I don’t even know how long you are going to be away.”

Longarm chuckled, opening the interface hatch on his shoulder, and unspooling his interface cable. “Alright, but when I get back you can replicate for me.”

Blurr’s interface panel was in the centre of his chest, directly under his autobot emblem. “So you are coming back then?”

Shockwave could feel the relief in Blurr’s field. Had blurr truly been worried that he wouldn’t return? “Of course I’m coming back, why wouldn’t I comeback.” 

At this point he really wasn’t sure if he would be returning. He’d originally been sent to spy on the autobots, a permanent state of war meant that a deep cover operative was nothing but valuable. Though since this peace seemed to be holding, his presence in Iacon was becoming even more of a liability. At the moment he was the primary way for Megatron to contact Optimus but Megatron had mentioned in their last communication, that the relay might soon be unnecessary. 

“I just, you have not told me when you are coming back and… I just...” blurr trailed off, “I keep thinking that you’re going to go into kaon and then the borders are going to close again and we will be stuck on opposite sides. But I know that will not happen, you are going to Praxis after all, not Kaon. I mean just because some mechs are crossing the border doesn’t mean you are going to. And the peace is holding for now, it’s probably not going to break while you are away, wherever you go.”

Oh frag. That was bad. It seemed like he’d been interfacing too much with Blurr. He’d known datableed could be a problem when he’d started interfacing with Blurr but, well, the risk was minimal. Blurr would have been suspicious if he’d requested to primary all the time, or writen him off as just after his processor rather than actually interested in a relationship. He passed blurr his cable, Yup, distract from the problems caused by interfacing, by interfacing. 

Blurr took the cable but didn’t plug it in straight away. “You’re not going to kaon are you?”

Frag, what was he supposed to say? They were about to interface, if Blurr found data to show he was lying… “I might be going to kaon.”

“Longarm! What do you mean you are going to kaon? Why are you going to Kaon? Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Kaon?”

“I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Well consider me worried. Longarm why for primus sake are you going to Kaon, what could possibly be in Kaon for you.”

“Blurr aren’t we supposed to be doing datawork?”

Blurr still didn’t plug the cable in. “It can wait we are talking about this now. What if you don’t come back longarm? What in Kaon could possibly be worth the risk?”

Longarm sighed, stroking over Blurr’s antenna in an attempt to calm him. “The risk is minimal. The peace is holding. It would do my line well to have contacts in Kaon, if they ask me to go, I can hardly say no can I?”

“Kaon is full of decepticons Longarm. How can they just send you there?”

“And What exactly is wrong with decepticons?” He, somehow, managed to keep his voice and field even. He didn’t want to know what Blurr thought of Decepticons but he couldn’t not ask.

“They are decepticons Longarm. They deceive, they lie, we have been at war with them for longer than I’ve been formed. They are also, Way larger and way more dangerous than us. So yeah I am not happy about the news that you might be going to Kaon.”

Longarm managed to stop himself responding. He’d heard it all before of course, but it hurt far more coming from blurr. He couldn’t keep it all out of his field. 

Blurr rested a hand on his tread, near his interface hatch. “Longarm, longarm please just just tell me what the matter is. I can tell something is wrong. I frag. I forgot. My line takes care of me, but if yours sends you to Kaon… I frag. I am sorry I shouldn’t have gotten angry at you. You just. You should have told me sooner that you might be sent to Kaon.”

Longarm offered a smile, not directly responding to most of what Blurr had said. What could he say? Truthfully he didn’t even have a line. No decepticon did, they’d abolished the practice when they’d taken kaon as their own. He followed megatron because he chose to, but Blurr could never understand that. “Perhaps, but I didn’t see the need to worry you, not when its still uncertain.” He cared about blurr, a lot. But if blurr ever found out the truth… No he couldn’t allow that to happen, as much as he wanted to be with Blurr. “Perhaps I should go.”

Blurr tightened his grip on the cable. “Don’t go.” He pulled closer to Lonharm. “I’m sorry, please don’t go.” He offered a small smile. “I still need a hang with this datawork.”

“Alright then.” 

Blurr plugged the cable in, And longarm lowered his firewalls. 


	3. Message from Kaon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Megatron's reply arrives and the Autobot's discuss what to do about it.

Optimus entered the throne room, they’d received a reply from Kaon, and Ultra Magnus wanted both of his Primes there. Ultra Magnus didn’t say anything to either of them, simply sent a short range message with the response from the decepticons. Optimus already know what it would say but he skimmed it anyway. Megatron had accepted Ultra magnus’s offer and proposed that the match be himself and Optimus. 

Optimus felt like his spark was in his throat. This was happening, this was really happening. When he’d started seeing Megatron in secret, hell right up until a few days ago, as much as he’d come to terms with his growing feelings for megatron, he’d know that they had no future together. Even if it was Sentinel that would be the next Magnus when the time came. He couldn’t just leave. He would always have a responsibility to the Autobot people. But this way he could do both. 

“This is an outrage,” Sentinel's voice cut through his thoughts. Ah, so it seemed sentinel had read the message. 

Optimus Kept his field calm and his voice level. “If it means a lasting peace. And I can make sure it does. Then it’s worth it isn’t it.” He let a hint of fear into his field, admittedly it was the fear that Ultra magnus would refuse the offer. But he couldn’t let them know how badly he wanted this, who knew how ultra magnus would react. He could be branded a traitor and they could be launched straight back into another war. 

“I won’t make you do this Optimus.” Ultra magnus said simply watching them both. “Megatron asks too much with this.”

Optimus stripped the fear from his field, pretending to act brave. “I want to do this. Constant war with the decepticons is not sustainable even if we win, how many would die on the way? As his Replica I can…”

Sentinel snorted. “Are you really that naive Optimus? As his replica you would have no power, no say, no options.”

“Sentinel is right Optimus. This offer was not made out of a desire for peace rather a desire to weaken us before the war restarts. I was supposed to have four Primes, Now I have two, and he would seek to take one from me?”

“But…” Optimus didn’t finish his sentience, he knew that wasn’t true, if megatron had only wished to weaken then he wouldn’t have asked Optimus. He wouldn’t have responded to Ultra magnus’s offer at all, he could have just kept optimus any number of time optimus had entered Kaon in secret. Optimus almost wished he had. 

Sentinel sneered, “Did you have something to add Optimus? More blind optimism perhaps.”

Optimus shook his head. “No, I apologize, it seemed like a sensible match to me rank wise, but I understand your hesitation.” His spark felt constricted, like someone was squeezing it in a vice. 

“It is not Hesitation optimus, simply a statement of fact, I will not allow him to weaken my court still further. You have already done enough damage Optimus, but sending you away will not solve anything.” 

Sentinel smirked, and Optimus drew in on himself. He kept the shame from his field but it flooded his processor. Elita Prime’s death had been his fault. It had been an accident, but that didn’t absolve him of blame. She had been Magnus’s first heir. Faster and smarter than both Optimus and Sentinel. 

He couldn’t remember now who’s idea the trip had been, funny that. The three of them —  Himself, Elita and Sentinel, Rodimus hadn’t yet been declared a prime and they’d often left him out of such adventures — had decided to go explore the vast network of caves to the north.

At first everything had been fine, the caves were interesting then there had been a rockside. They’d gotten separated. Optimus and Elita had fallen part way down a crevice. The plan, Optimus’s plan, have been to use their grapnels to climb out. It should have been fine, it should have worked. Optimus made it out, Elita didn’t.

Optimus pushed the thoughts away, there was little point in dwelling on the past now. 

“So what are we going to do then Magnus?” 

“Well they at least seem to be in favour of the plan. So we move forward. Did you compile the list of non essential lesser nobles Sentinel?”

Optimus received the message even though it wasn’t directly sent to him. Sentinel really should upgrade his encryption protocols. Or perhaps he’d intended for optimus to receive a copy as well. 

Magnus nodded. “Good, Megatron or one of his primes may have their pick for a Replica in exchange for a Replica for you, Sentinel Assuming you are still agreeable?”

Sentinel nodded his head. “Yes of course Magnus.”

Optimus skimmed over the list, it was a long list. “Have these Mecha been asked if they would be willing to be a decepticon’s replica?” He assumed they had but something didn’t quite sit right. If this many mecha had agreed to potentially be Replica that surely the palace would have been buzzing with the news.

Sentinel sneered. “Of course not, who would want to be a decepticon’s replica. Aside from you I mean. The Lucky mech will be informed once we know who it is.”

“They won’t have a choice?” Optimus couldn’t keep the horror from his field. 

“They will do their part for this peace just as you were willing to Optimus.” Ultra Magnus’s tone and field made it clear that he would accept no arguments. “Sentinel This list is good, Compose a reply to Megatron to accompany it, I expect it delivered to me for review within 20 Breems.”

Sentinel gave a stiff bow, “Yes of course, Magnus I shall get it drafted right away.” Sentinel Left. 

Optimus also bowed, “by your leave My Magnus I shall returned to my duties.”

Ultra magnus shook his head, “Not yet Optimus,” He headed towards to door. “Walk with me.”

Optimus fell into step beside Ultra Magnus as he lead them out into the crystal gardens. 

“It seems Megatron is quite taken with you.”

Optimus fixed his gaze on a blue crystal, not looking at ultra magnus. It was all he could do to keep his field under control. It felt like his spark was breaking. He’d let them all down. Elita had died because of him. He didn’t want this anymore. He didn’t want to be prime, didn’t want the responsibilities. He just wanted to return to the comfortable embrace of Megatron’s field. 

Optimus chose he words with care. He didn’t Even want to think about what Ultra magnus would do if he found out about Optimus’s liaison with Megatron. “It is possible though I believe you are right, he seeks to weaken us.”

“You didn’t seem to think so earlier.”

Optimus’s Gaze dropped lower to a cluster of small green crystals. He wondered if Megatron would like the garden, or if Kaon had anything similar. “I spoke with Megatron at the Ball you hosted.”

“And that one evening was enough for you to decided to leave our kingdom for his?” Ultra Magnus’s tone was even but Optimus could feel the accusation in his field. 

Words of denial rose in his vocaliser, He stomped them down. Now was not the time to get defensive. “No, but I find it believable that he might request such a thing.”

“You like him.” This time even the tone was accusatory. 

“I’ve only met him once,” That wasn’t an answer nor was it even true, but what was optimus supposed to say?

Ultra Magnus let out a burst of static, annoyance clear. “Just tell me this Optimus, have you interfaced with him?”

He could lie. He hadn’t interfaced with Megatron at the ball, but since then? “Yes.”

Another exasperated burst of static. “Of course you have. You can’t keep your cables to yourself can you? And let me guess, You replicated for him?”

They had actually done it both ways, though optimus did prefer it when megatron lead. He did not deny it though. “I did not get the impression that he would be opposed to allowing me to lead.”

Disbelief washed through Ultra Magnus’s field, buffeting up against the complete certainty on Optimus’s field. “Really now? That might actually be useful.”


	4. Messages from Iacon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Ultra Magnus refused Megatrons offer, they are going to have to find someone else.

“He is pleased to hear that we wish to go ahead with a Replica swap” Starscream sneered, “But regrettably he did not intend for either of his Primes to be offered as a replica. He has helpfully included a list.”

“That does present a problem. We have informally agreed to the arrangement, it would not be good for the peace if we refused.” Shockwave said thoughtfully. 

“We don’t need the peace. We finally have the factories set up, I can have an armada built in a couple of orns, let me lay waste to Iacon.” Starscream sounded way too eager. They had only just gotten to the point where peace with the autobots might actual be an option. Megatron thought of Optimus and his desperate need to do what was best for his people. No. They couldn’t bomb Iacon. 

“No Starscream we will be continuing with the peace.”

“Wonderful.” Starscream didn’t bother to hide his annoyance. “Well I am not going to be the primary for this farce of a relationship. I already have two Replicas I do not want a third.”

Shockwave rolled his optic. “Yes and they both like each other more than you.”

Starscream glared through the monitor. He was still in Vos where he ruled in Megatron’s name. Originally when the Decepticons had formed under Megatron and claimed Kaon as their own there had been a lot of friction between Megatron and his air commander, including several assassination attempts. That had calmed down after they’d taken Vos and Megatron had appointed Starscream as vassal lord. Oh starscream still argued with him, but at least starscream no longer tried to take command of the decepticons by subterfuge or force. 

After they’d taken Polyhex several vorns later he’d appointed Soundwave as a vassal lord as well. Soundwave also joined the meeting via video feed, though for the most part he chose to remain silent. 

“Soundwave, what’s your stance on the matter?” He had no interest in taking a replica other than Optimus, and due to the status difference he could probably get away with refusing anything less than a prime. Even so, he didn’t want to force a replica on any of his generals.

“Soundwave does not require a replica.”

“I figured as much, Shockwave?”

Shockwave paused, as though looking over the file again. “They can not have gotten these Mecha’s permission before compiling this list.”

That was met with a stunned silence, “Is there any level the autobots will not stoop too?”

“We could refuse on those grounds,” Megatron said thoughtfully, “or at least request that only willing replicas be offered.”

Shockwave shook his head. “It will not work my lord. You already requested Optimus.”

“Yes yes, but we all know there’s no way our Illustrious leader didn’t ask his datatoy first.”

“Fact unknown.” Soundwave supplied. 

“There is one.” Shockwave said, “He would not have agreed to it, but I would accept him as my replica if my lord allows it.”

“Aren’t you full of surprizes today shockwave. Got an unrequited crush there. I did not take you for the kind of mech who would take a replica against their will.”

Now it was shockwave glaring at starscream through the screen. “I would not interface with him.”

“Oh, you’re not going to interface with your replica. Of course, why didn’t I think of that? It’s not like interfacing is the entire point of a replica.”

“You’re sure about this Shockwave, once it’s done there would be no going back.”

“Do you still wish me to remain here, rather than return to Iacon?” 

He was silent for long moment. If shockwave stayed he would no longer has a way to pass message to optimus, but shockwaves continued presence in Iacon was a risk to the tentative peace. Optimus wanted peace. Optimus wanted what was best for his people. “Yes shockwave, you shall remain here.”

“Then yes. I would accept Sir Blurr as my replica.”

“I can not believe this. You are actually going to go through with this? And who do you suggest we offer in exchange? Because they want a replica too. For Sentinel of all mecha. Who in their right mind would want to be Sentinel Prime’s replica?” Starscream screeched

“Problem: decepticons lack lesser noble class.”

“What the slag is that supposed to mean.”

“Calm down and actually pay attention for a moment starscream.” Shockwave said, “If you had looked over the list they supplied us with, you would have noticed that all of mecha on it are from Iacon’s lesser noble class, dukes, counts, and baronets. They will want a match of equivalent rank.”

“Suggestion: inform the autobots.”

“How is that going to help anything.”

Megatron smirked. “It makes it their problem, either they will have to concede and accept a titleless Mecha or they will retract their offer.”

* * *

“Of all the fragged up, depraved slag. Just when I think the can’t stood any lower they go and pull this. Sentinel is unbothered by the rank issue but would like a Seeker for a replica. He doesn’t care about rank, or military achievements, no he only cares about frame type. That’s sick.”

“I thought you were always going on about the superiority of seekers. It’s not a bad approximation for a lesser noble class when you think about it.” Shockwave commented standing just behind megatron in front of the screens. 

“Seekers come in Trines glitch head. We are all already in primary-replica relationships. None of us are interested in being that Unicron spawned groundpounder. Just say the word megatron and I shall exact vengeance for this slight.”

“We are pursuing this peace Starscream. You said the Factories were completed. We have a small Reservoir of newsparks. It should be possible to…”

“No!” Starscream cut him off. “What the fragging unicronian glitched up slag. You want me To build a seeker specifically to be that fragger’s replica?”

“I was under the impression that all seekers onlined in a relationship.” Shockwave said calmly. 

“That’s different. Primary and Replicas online together. That’s not ever close to the same thing as having a mech built specifically to be your replica.”

Soundwave was impassive as ever, but megatron knew his lieutenants. “Starscream I recommend you chose your words with extreme care. I shouldn’t have to remind you that Soundwave himself built all of the cassetticons.”

“That’s different.” Starscream said airily. 

“Different how?” Soundwave spoke for the first time. 

“Well for a start you don’t interface with any of them for pleasure. It’s always business with you. Not to mention you wouldn’t force them, or stop them leaving if that’s what they wanted.”

“Alright, I’ll accept those last two points Starscream.” Shockwave said, “Sentinel’s not the type to care what his partner wants, but he’s also not the sort for casual interfacing either.”

Starscream stared at them as though he couldn’t believe they were missing something so fragging obvious. Megatron had a pretty good idea what it was, but he didn’t intervene.

“Alright. Shockwave, Soundwave I know you both have a ridiculous number of processors so I will overlook your complete stupidity just this once. I am only going to say this once, so listen closely. Firstly, don’t you dare start thinking you might be better than me, you are not. Shockwave sure your cannon might be powerful, but you’re slow and confined to the ground. Sure Soundwave, you can fly, but you’re still slow and you have exactly zero heavy weaponry. My seekers a fast, airborne and carry some of the best weaponry the decepticon army has to offer. The trade off for this is that seeker processors are only built dual core. Seekers trine, because it’s the only way our processors can keep up with the average cybertronian. Do I make myself clear? Wanting a Seeker as a replica is fragged up and fetishistic.”

This was met with silence, and it was left to megatron to break the silence. 

“Even so, if we wish to pursue this peace. The building a seeker for this role seemed to next course of action.”

“Fragging hell. Just kidnap your precious boyfriend, and let me bomb Iacon. We have the resources to win this glitching war.”

“Starscream has a point, my lord. The autobots are the weakest they have been in a long time, and the loss of optimus would cripple them still further.”

“Cost: high, reward: great.”

“No. I will no do that to him.”

“Frag unicron. Are we seriously pursuing peace purely because you want to date your boyfriend. He fragging wants you to just kidnap him. Thrust told me about your last little meetup. So just…”

“Starscream. No. his first allegiance is his kingdom. I will not force him away from that. You will construct a seeker to fulfill our part of the agreement.”

Starscream glared. Had he actually been here, megatron suspected he would already have started shooting. His gaze shifted slightly, to soundwave ever silent, and shockwave. He let out a burst of static. “Fine but he’s getting two, because replica seekers come in pairs. I’m sure he’ll be ecstatic.”


	5. new mission

There had been no messages from Longarm. Blurr tried to console himself that this was normal. Longarm rarely sent long range messages when he was away on business. He still could help but feel uneasy. There’d been something longarm wasn’t telling him. Something to do with his line he was sure. He’d almost investigated further when he’d been plugged into Longarm’s systems. It had been tempting, very tempting, but he really did not want to find out how much it would take for longarm to forgive such a transgression, even if he only did it because he cared.

He forced the thoughts away, he had work he was supposed to me doing. There was a ping from his internal com, a request for a meeting from Optimus Prime of all mecha. He’d never had many dealings with any of the Primes before now, let alone Optimus, but he knew the story. 

Optimus had been the second Prime, confident and well liked by all accounts. He understood that Mecha like the Magnus prefered Elita. Her coding had been perfected by one of the lines of dukes. She had been perfection, and she’d known it. Amongst the lower noble lines she had not been as popular. she was far too arrogant for their liking. Some favoured Sentinel, but most had favoured Optimus. But to think…

Optimus had removed Elita from the picture. It had never been proven, but they all knew it. What had made Optimus so popular is the way he’d been so open so honest. To think that that was all a show. It made Blurr more than a little uneasy that Prime had summoned him. 

::Yes Prime I will be right there::

::No need, I will come to you::

Blurr fought to get his EM field under control. It would not do to have his field give him away when the prime was here. He did not want to make an enemy of Opitmus Prime. He honestly didn’t know which Prime he supported, though it probably wouldn’t matter if Optimus was reviving the old traditions. There would only be one Prime left online by the time Magnus offlined. As much as he had liked Rodimus, he couldn’t blame the youngest Prime for vanishing. Assuming his disappearance hadn’t also been Optimus’s work. 

There was a ping of Optimus’s impending arrival, and blurr force reset his processor to stop the current line of thought. 

“Optimus Prime,” He said unsure of how to continue. Babbling like he did with Longarm, or really anyone he was even remotely comfortable around, would not be sensible here. 

“What was it you needed? I could have come up to your office really it would not have been any trouble.” It was like a damn breaking, but at least he couldn’t detect any displeasure from optimus’s field. Then again Optimus had to be a master at field manipulation, he would get no warning… He cut the thread the second it started forming. 

Optimus gave him a worried smile. “It’s okay, I… The walk helped me clear my head. I have… News, a request?” The Prime managed to sound even more uncertain than Blurr felt. It had to be an act. 

“Of course prime, what do you require of me?” The words at least were a preset dialog option from his base coding, and cut his vocaliser after. 

“This is a little awkward and I’m really sorry to have to ask you to do this...” Optimus trailed off. 

Blurr was near frozen in terror, whatever it is the prime wants with him it’s not good. The Prime is either trying to manipulate him into it, or it’s really bad. Either way, this wasn’t even close to good, he stuck to the scripted lines, that way at least he could prevent himself from saying the wrong thing. “It is my honour to serve the primes.”

“Blurr this isn’t… I… You…” Optimus looked down. “Your line had has already agreed on your behalf.”

That, that was really bad. That they thought… He couldn’t refuse an order from the primes in any case why would they need to consult his line, unless this was something that would affect his line, most likely with his absence. He forced himself to relax. To not think about longarm. He’d gone on undercover missions before, this would be no difference. Except that they were supposed to have a peace with the decepticons at the moment. “I understand Prime.”

Optimus reset his vocaliser. “As you are surely aware, we are currently in peace negotiations with the decepticons. It is the wish of the Magnus that these peace talks are successful. To that end a replica trade was proposed.”

Blurr felt his process stall, because no no this couldn’t be what he was hearing, surely there had been some mistake. They were on the edge of war with the decepticons. He was a spy. He was being sent undercover. The words washed over him he was being sent into decepticon territory. The name shockwave drifted past, but didn’t register beyond his processor acknowledging the head of decepticon intelligence. As Shockwave’s replica he would be expected to replicate for Shockwave. 

“I understand Prime.” He tried not to think about Longarm waiting for him, this was just another mission he’d be back soon enough, and hopefully he would be enough to turn the tide of the war. A rogue tread caught his attention. Surely the Prime would already be aware of the issue, but his vocaliser had already reactivated. “But Prime, I mean if you do not mind my asking of course. If I am replicating for Shockwave, then he will know what information I have, he will be able to tell if I have any plans to pass that information back to autobot hands. I mean it is a good way to get me into decepticon territory, but being disguised as a replica is not a good place for a spy.”

There was a ripple of pain through optimus’s field, and blurr flinched back. It was not his place to question the Prime. “No Blurr.” Optimus’s voice was far gentler than Blurr had expected. “This isn’t a mission. Or if you wish to think of it in those terms, then it is your mission to ensure that the peace lasts. By any means possible. You will be Shockwave’s replica, this is a permanent arrangement. You are expected to remain faithful and keep any secrets he confides in you. Yes, even if those secrets that could be useful to the autobot cause. I doubt that the decepticons will require spark interfacing, or a spark bond, but if it is requested, you will provide those services to shockwave.”

Blurr felt his processor lockdown even further than it already had, completely cutting out the data exchange to and from his spark. It was specialist coding that a lot of intelligence bots carried. His line had already been contacted, this had already been cleared at the highest level. His feelings did not matter. Even so a rogue tread managed to get through his locks. “But Prime, why me. I am an intelligence agent. Surely shockwave already knows that, and if he doesn’t he soon will. The decepticons will be suspicious. With the mission parametres as you have presented them, I am not the right bot for this job.”

Again Optimus seemed way calmer than blurr had expected from his reputation, then again perhaps that simply was his acting skills. Even so Blurr found himself relaxing slightly. “Normally I would agree with you, but in this case you were requested personally.”

“Shockwave requested me as a replica… personally. By name, not just a bot of my class or build? Why would he… I have never even met shockwave. I probably would not still be online if I had. I was built for speed not processing capacity. There is no reason for him to be interested in me. I have not done anything to draw that kind of attention.” 

“Calm down, Blurr. It’s okay, no one suspects you of anything. We have no idea why you were chosen, but he did request you specifically.”

Blurr cut his vocaliser again, not so much calming down, as cutting as preventing himself from hiding it. He didn’t know shockwave by anything more than reputation. This had to be a tactic of some sort. Pride swelled at the idea that Shockwave might have chosen him because he was one of the best intel bots the autobots had. But… but… if that were true the autobots wouldn’t be sending him away. It didn’t matter. This order came from the Magnus, ratified by his line and delivered by a Prime. 

“I understand Prime.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it on my buffer, now it's a game of can I get a chapter written before Tuesday. Well I do have first chapters written for a few things but I really don't want to start something new just yet... So umm, we'll see I guess.   
> (I mean I could always surprise you with 8k completed work, for a fandom P much no one is in and I haven't posted anything to AO3 for it yet...)


End file.
